Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Saturday, met with the leadership of the Yoruba Community Development Association, Abia State chapter with the assurance that his administration and the people of the State will at all times, coexist peacefully with them and continue to provide an enabling environment for all citizens to pursue their legitimate undertakings.
Ikpeazu stated that no Yoruba indigene has any reason whatsoever to entertain any fears about residing and doing business anywhere in Abia State because our people see them as part and parcel of the community.
The Governor, who recalled how a Yoruba man and former Military Governor of the then Western Region, Late Col. Adekunle Fajuyi preferred to die with an Abia son and former Head of State, General Aguiyi Ironsi instead of allowing him to be taken away from his house where he was on official visit in July 1966, made it clear that Abia citizen has a responsibility to protect Yorubas around them. According to the Governor, that gesture by the late Fajuyi has a major historical significance and makes it imperative for every Abian to ensure that every Yoruba son or daughter living with him is well protected from any form of harm.
Governor Ikpeazu told his visitors that as someone who had lived in Lagos for some years, he was in a good position to testify first hand that Yorubas are as accommodating as our own people. He recalled that his late mother had her nursing training in Ife many decades ago and spoke unadulterated Yoruba language, while his late parents-in-law, also lived and had clinics in Ife noting that they were at no time harassed nor denied anything on account of their origin.
He further told them that he visited Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu of Lagos State last week to commiserate with him on the massive destruction of public and private property in Lagos in the wake of the violent #EndSARS protests and to thank him for ensuring that our people continue to enjoy the protection of the State Government.
The Governor, in granting their request for political involvement, promised to appoint one of them as his Special Adviser on Ethnic Harmony, noting that Igbos hold both elective and appointive positions in places like Lagos.
Governor Ikpeazu also promised to provide a vehicle for them before the end of this month and asked them to formalize their request for a parcel of land to enable him give the necessary instructions to the Commissioner for Lands. He promised to rebuild their vandalized mosque, stating that it is sacrilegious for anyone, under any guise, to attack and vandalize any place of worship.
He thanked them for all their contributions to the economic growth of the State and support for his administration and urged them to continue to be law abiding and respect the cultures and traditions of their hosts.
Speaking earlier, the President of the Yoruba Community Development Association in Abia State, Comrade Babatunde Olatunde thanked the Governor for granting them audience and assured him that they would continue to live and do their businesses with regard to the laws of the land.
Comrade Olatunde told the Governor that most of them have lived in Abia for several years, with a good number of them married to Abia daughters and vice versa and as such, Abia has become a home for many of them.
He thanked the Governor for ensuring that they have lived here peacefully over the years.
They appealed to the Governor to grant them a parcel of land to build their Secretariat, give them opportunities to participate more and contribute to the political development of the State and a vehicle to assist their association.
ABIA ONLINE gathered that the Yoruba Community Development Association in Abia State, presented Governor Ikpeazu with an award as THE MOST ACCOMMODATING GOVERNOR IN NIGERIA while the Governor later hosted them to dinner.
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